Vacuum brewer or siphon pot method

Handout

Proponent: Vincent Iatesta, owner of Caffe Pronto Coffee Roastery in Annapolis, Md. "I personally love it, and it's what I use at home every day," he said. "It produces a rich, complex, sweet cup of coffee, and there are never any bitter or sour notes that you can get from a traditional brewing process. And it looks cool." How it works: Invented in France in the 1840s, this method was favored in early 20th Century America but got muscled out by automatic drip. With the renewed interest in fine coffee brewing, the vacuum has made a comeback. The device consists of a glass coffeepot and an upper glass chamber connected by a siphon tube. Water is placed in the lower coffeepot while ground coffee goes in the top chamber, fitted with a cloth filter. When the water heats to a boil on a stove, it travels up through the tube into the top chamber to mix with the coffee grounds. When the device is removed from the heat source, coffee is pulled back down through the filter into the pot, finishing with a gurgly flourish. It creates not just a complex pot of java but also a fun show. Good for those who want to retain richness from coffee oils, have the patience to carefully monitor their coffeepot, and enjoy a good spectacle. Price: The Bodum Santos Vacuum Pot costs $70 at clivecoffee.com.

Proponent: Vincent Iatesta, owner of Caffe Pronto Coffee Roastery in Annapolis, Md. "I personally love it, and it's what I use at home every day," he said. "It produces a rich, complex, sweet cup of coffee, and there are never any bitter or sour notes that you can get from a traditional brewing process. And it looks cool." How it works: Invented in France in the 1840s, this method was favored in early 20th Century America but got muscled out by automatic drip. With the renewed interest in fine coffee brewing, the vacuum has made a comeback. The device consists of a glass coffeepot and an upper glass chamber connected by a siphon tube. Water is placed in the lower coffeepot while ground coffee goes in the top chamber, fitted with a cloth filter. When the water heats to a boil on a stove, it travels up through the tube into the top chamber to mix with the coffee grounds. When the device is removed from the heat source, coffee is pulled back down through the filter into the pot, finishing with a gurgly flourish. It creates not just a complex pot of java but also a fun show. Good for those who want to retain richness from coffee oils, have the patience to carefully monitor their coffeepot, and enjoy a good spectacle. Price: The Bodum Santos Vacuum Pot costs $70 at clivecoffee.com. (Handout)

Proponent: Vincent Iatesta, owner of Caffe Pronto Coffee Roastery in Annapolis, Md. "I personally love it, and it's what I use at home every day," he said. "It produces a rich, complex, sweet cup of coffee, and there are never any bitter or sour notes that you can get from a traditional brewing process. And it looks cool." How it works: Invented in France in the 1840s, this method was favored in early 20th Century America but got muscled out by automatic drip. With the renewed interest in fine coffee brewing, the vacuum has made a comeback. The device consists of a glass coffeepot and an upper glass chamber connected by a siphon tube. Water is placed in the lower coffeepot while ground coffee goes in the top chamber, fitted with a cloth filter. When the water heats to a boil on a stove, it travels up through the tube into the top chamber to mix with the coffee grounds. When the device is removed from the heat source, coffee is pulled back down through the filter into the pot, finishing with a gurgly flourish. It creates not just a complex pot of java but also a fun show. Good for those who want to retain richness from coffee oils, have the patience to carefully monitor their coffeepot, and enjoy a good spectacle. Price: The Bodum Santos Vacuum Pot costs $70 at clivecoffee.com.